Feed My Lambs

My husband Mike and I each teach a Bible Study.  In the ladies study, we have been in the gospel of John.  It's easy to see why people tell new Christians to read John first.  He does a wonderful job showing Christ to the reader.

We just did John 13 last week, yes I am well aware that it's not the feed my lambs passage, but I think that the two link together very well.  So, in Chapter 13 we see Jesus and the disciples just hours before He's arrested.  Jesus, knowing that all authority had been given to Him, knowing where He came from and where He was going, puts aside His outer robe, ties a towel about His waist, fills a basin with water and washes the disciples feet.  When you read the chapter, and I do encourage you to do so, note that Judas, the one who will betray, is still in the room.  Jesus also washes his feet.

Peter, who blesses me whenever he opens his mouth, tells Jesus no way you're not going to wash my feet.  Imagine telling Jesus what He can and cannot do for you.  Oh, wait, we do that don't we?  Then Jesus tells him,  if I don't wash you, you will have no part of Me.  Peter, in typical Peter style, says well by all means then, wash my feet, head and hands.  Is this Peter once again giving Jesus instructions?  The Greek doesn't give us intent or heart attitude, it just gives us words.  What if Peter's heart was saying, immerse me in You?  The words are monosyllabic, they have no inflection except what we give them.  Commentators tend toward the bossy.

As I was studying this chapter, I was expecting the Spirit to show me a different understanding of the passage.  Grace says there's more than we see here.  You know what I see in Spirit?  More than one betrayer.  We focus on Judas and, indeed, John focuses on Judas in this chapter because this betrayal will lead to death both Jesus' and Judas'.  However, Peter is about to betray as well and if you look at it based on what we know in Scripture, in a manner of speaking all the disciples betray Jesus in that they leave Him.  All except John who the gospel says was at the crucifixion.  Please understand that I'm not saying they're less because they're not, rather Jesus in Chapter 17 will thank God for them and say that they are His, which is true.  What I'm saying is that none of them was perfect.

We know the rest of the chapter.  Jesus tells them the meaning of the foot washing and that as He has washed their feet so they should wash each others' feet.  Then He tells them that one of them will betray Him, dips the bread and gives it to Judas, and tells him what you're doing, do quickly.  Judas leaves.  When he's gone Jesus gives them a new commandment, just as I have loved you, you must also love each other and by this love the world will know you.

Jesus says, love them as I have loved you.  The example He's given, and the Greek word for example here indicates more than modeling something but rather leans more toward something compulsory, is washing the feet of His betrayer; loving beyond love.


I have a few what if's in this chapter that might move some focus off what we usually look at and onto some realities in grace.  You won't get all of them today as this is already a little long but I do have one for you.


When Jesus tells the disciples at the end of the chapter that He would be with them only for a little while Peter tells Him that he would die for Him.  Jesus says, Die for me?  I tell you the truth that before the cock cries tonight you will deny me three times.  Here's the what if that the Spirit has given me: What if it's not about dying for Him but rather living for Him?  


We know that we die to everything that we are when we accept Christ.  That's a done deal.  But do we know that once we die for Him we have to live for Him?  Do we know that we have to serve our enemies?  Jesus didn't say love those who love you or love those that you agree with.  Jesus said love each other as I have loved you.  Was Peter willing to wash the feet of those who had betrayed?  Are we willing to wash the feet of that person who has insulted us or that leader with whom we don't agree?  


Jesus raised the bar.  Are we prepared to leap over it or limbo under it?


Blessings in Christ,


Mike and Tina Hook

Discouraged?

A hard subject perhaps but one that the Lord has placed on our hearts.  

We understand being discouraged.  After a long day of phone calls with nothing to show for it, it's easy to listen to the words "it's the economy" and chuck it all in.  We listen to presidential addresses and the news and just sometimes we say "really Lord...this is a terrible year to be doing this."  But God...

To discourage by definition means to deprive of courage or confidence.  So for believers what does that mean?  Our courage; our confidence is meant to be in the Lord.  Now, I'm going to confess on myself, this is Tina typing, and say that I'm convicted by my own blog content this time.  I get discouraged and want to hide in a corner when things aren't going well for us.  The words "I just want to go, get a job, and stop all of this" have come out of my mouth in the last month.  But God...

Our God is gracious.  Our God is provider.  Our God is all in all.  What have I learned in the Lord in the last month?  Well, some of it is just between Him and me and you're not privy to that as yet.  However, I will say this, it's not enough to know that God will provide.  It's not enough to say it even if you believe it.  It has to be more than that.  It has to be something beyond knowing.  It has to be a state of Spirit that is instinctual like breathing; something that you don't think about but that you do naturally.  What's in you is what comes out when you're in hot water.

No, I'm not going to quit.  I won't take a job other that the one that the Lord has set before us.  There are children in Scotland who are waiting to hear the Word that He has taught us.  No one else will stand in our place.  I personally am coming out of this with one thing solidified within me...God is the God of the nations.  The Light of the World wants a relationship with everyone in the World.  He wants everyone to breathe Him.


We hold you all in our prayers as we know you hold us.


Blessings in Christ,


Mike and Tina Hook